Oral candidiasis combined with COVID-19 (literature review)

Abstract

The oral cavity is known as a potential reservoir for respiratory pathogens. Candida fungi are normally present in 40-60% of people and are conditionally pathogenic. It is known that a single isolation of yeast-like fungi from the mucous membrane in an amount of more than 1×103 CFU/ml is considered as candidiasis. SARS-CoV-2 penetrates the body due to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), a type I membrane protein that is expressed on epithelial cells of the oral cavity, in salivary glands, tongue, buccal and gingival epithelial cells. The course of COVID-19 is determined by age, the state of oral hygiene, the presence of concomitant diseases and bad habits - hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular pathology, taking various medications, smoking. The most frequent manifestation of the imbalance of microbial flora in the oral cavity is candidiasis, which can be covid-associated both during the active phase of COVID-19 and in the post-covid period. Some clinical factors, such as prolonged stay in the intensive care unit, the use of central venous catheters and the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, may dominate immune-mediated mechanisms that increase susceptibility to candidemia in COVID-19 conditions. Publications devoted to covid-associated candidiasis reflect typical and atypical clinical complaints of patients: burning, soreness, the presence of whitish plaques on the tongue, as well as reddish plaques on the lower lip. The aim of the work is to systematize the literature data on the relationship of oral candidiasis and SARS-CoV-2. . The search and analysis of scientific publications in the electronic databases PubMed, eLibrary from 2019 to 2022 was carried out. . As a result of the literature analysis, most authors describe clinical cases of oral candidiasis combined with COVID-19. The published data demonstrate the atypical nature of situations and manifestations of oral candidiasis, as well as the problems of a particular patient. In this regard, the question of the need for therapeutic and preventive measures in patients during these periods in order to prevent the development of candidiasis (both local and systemic) remains open at the moment. . Mycotic lesions of the oral cavity are relatively rarely described in the scientific literature and are of a statistical nature. Clinical cases provide an opportunity for a more detailed study of this issue. At the moment, the question of carrying out therapeutic and preventive measures in patients in the acute phase of COVID-19 and in the post-covid period in order to prevent the development of candidiasis remains open.